Underground wells are often used as water sources especially in suburban areas to supply water taken from an underground source of water to supply water to dwelling and commercial structures located on the surface near the source of water. After the underground water source has been located, a submersible pump is inserted into the source of water so that the pump may pump water through a pipe attached to the pump to the surface. After the underground water source has been located, well digging apparatus is brought to the location to start the process of installing the pump. Typically, a hole or conduit is dug from the surface to the source of the water and is of such a diameter to receive a casing of a size sufficient to slidably receive the pump. The pump and water pipe attached thereto for transporting the water from the pump to the surface is lowered through the casing so that the pump may be submerged in the water. In operation, the pump is operated to pump water from the water source through the attached pipe to the surface for use by the dwelling and commercial structures.
A problem arises in that the pump may become inoperative and require either repair or replacement. In addition, the water pipe attached to the submersible pump may develop leaks and also require replacement. Over a period of time it becomes difficult to remove the pump and piping through the casing and it becomes necessary to dig another hole and install new casing and another pump and attached pipe.
In other applications, piping is horizontally installed in conduits so that liquids such as water may be transported from one location to another distant location. In addition, the horizontally installed piping may be conduits to receive cabling that connects one location to another. Typically, the concept of directional boring is used to drill a horizontal underground conduit that connects the one location to the distant location. The piping is then pulled through the drilled horizontal conduit from the one location to the distant location. In the pulling operation, a collar may be fitted around the outer diameter of the pipe at one location and attached to a pulling cable extending through the horizontal conduit to the distant location such that the pulling cable may be used to pull the piping or conduit through the horizontal hole. In another operation, the pulling cable may be welded to the piping to be pulled through the horizontal or slanted conduit. Problems arise with these operations in that they take time to prepare the piping and conduit for the pulling operation and it is required to bore a larger hole then is necessary to just pull the piping through the hole.
Accordingly, a need exists in the art for apparatus to remove vertical piping and attached submersible pump from underground well operations and to pull piping structures through horizontal, vertical or slanted conduits without attaching collars or to weld the pulling cable to the piping.